Electric switch having raising and lowering mechanism therefor



M. B. WOOD June 7, 1932.

ELECTRIC SWITCH HAVING RAISING AND LOWERING MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed May 28, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l I It. I

frwenlar. AW 137M June 7, 1932. M. B. WOOD ELECTRIC SWITCH HAVING RAISING AND LOWERING MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed May 28, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 for and means governed by closed condition of the switch so arranged.

Patented June 7, 1932 warren s'ra'rss PATENT OFFICE MORRIS B. WOOD, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CONDET ELECTRICAL MANUFACTURING- CORPORATION, RATION OF MASSACHUSETTS OF SOUTH BOSTON, .lviiSSACfiUS/ETTS, A CORPO- ELECTRIG SWITCH HAVING RAISING AND LOW'ERING IVIEGHANISM THEREFOR Application filed Iliay 28, 1928, Serial No. 281,151.

This invention relates to electric switches of the type that are adapted to be moved into and out of enclosing cells and when within the cell to be raised and lowered into and out of engagement with line terminals located therein.

Heretofore this type of switch has been raised and lowered in the cell by a raising and lowering device which was independent of the switch and has been supported in raised position within the cell by means independent of both the switch and the raising and lowering means. This arrangement has many disadvantages and it is an object of the present invention to provide a. cell type switch with integral raising and lowering means which also constitute means to hold the switch in elevated position within the cell and which further constitute means by which the switch can be moved into and out of the cell.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a portable or cell type electric switch with raising and lowering means therethe open and that the raising and lowering means can not be operated either to lower or to raise the switch until the switch is in open position.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an electric switch having selfcontained raising and lowering means which provide a rolling support for the switch together with locking means for the raising and lowering means, adapted to be manually operated but under the control of the switch operating mechanism and so arranged as to hold the raising and lowering means locked in the raised position thereof except when the switch is completely open.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an electric switch with raising and lowering means for it and locking mechanism for the raising and lowering means so arranged that the switch can not be closed when the raising and lowering mechanism is unlocked.

A further object of the invention is genera 1y to improve the construction of electric switches and raising and lowering means therefor.

Fig. l is a side elevation of an electric switch and raising and lowering means therefor embodying the invention, the cell in which the switch is enclosed being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 taken from the other side of the switch.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional elevation taken through the raising and lowering mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a front view of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the raising and lowering mechanism with the switch in lowered position.

Fig. 6 is a section taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a perspective detail of the locking mechanism for the raising and lowering means.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the bottom platform of the switch.

The enclosing cell structure for the switch comprises the back wall 10. the top wall 12. and the front wall 14. Said la ter wall comprises the front closure for the cell and is carried by and is removable with the switch. A pair of insulating bushings 16 are carried by the top wall 12 and have conducting studs 18 which constitute fixed terminals of the line controlled by the switch. The lower ends of said bushings are extended into the switch cell and are provided with contact members 20 which form the stationary switch members of a disconnecting switch of which the upper terminals of the main switch form the movable members.

The main switch or interrupter 22 is of the oil immersed. type and comprises an enclosing casing having the oil receptacle 2% and the switch frame 26 which comprises the cover for the oil receptacle. Switch terminals including the insulating bushings 28 are carried by said switch frame and eirtend thereabove and have contact members 30 at their upper ends which engage the contact members 20 of the line terminals when the switch or circuit interrupter is in elevated position. The front wall. 1% of the enclosing cell is carried by the switch frame 26. Electrically operated opening and closing mechanism 32 is carried by the switch frame on the outside of the cover wall it and is connected by a link 34 with an operating shaft 36 of the switch mechanism located within the switch casing.

The oil receptacle 24 is removably connected with the switch frame and is supported on a platform 38 which is of inverted channel shape and has depending side walls or flanges 40. Rods 42 are extended between lugs of said channel and of said switch frame and serve to connect the two removably together.

The raising and lowering means of the mechanism for the interrupter include pairs of crossed bars 44 and 46. The upper ends of the bars 44 are located within the side flanges 40 of the channel and at one end of said channel and are pivoted on a rod 48 which is extended through said channel flanges. The lower ends of said bars 44 are disposed beneath the other end of the channel and are journalled on shafts 50 of a square axle 52. Wheels 54 are carried by said axle between the lower ends of the bars 44 and the squared portion 52 of the axle and form supporting wheels for the interrupter and the raising and lowering means.

The bars 46 are located between the bars 44 and have their lower ends disposed beneath the upper ends of the bars 44. The lower ends of said bars 46 are pivoted on the shaft 56 of a square axle 58. \Vheels 60 are carried by said axle on the outside of said bars 46 and provide rolling supports for the interrupter and the raising and lowering mechanism. The bars 46 and 44 are pivotally connected together at their intermediate points by a rod 61 which is passed loosely through all of said. bars and has nuts 62 at the ends thereof which hold the bars loosely in assembled condition. The upper ends of said bars 46 are disposed beneath the channel 38 on the side thereof opposite the pivotal support for the bars 44 and are connected l y a pin 64. A roller 66 is rotatable on said pin between said bars and has a. rolling engagement with the under face of said channel 38. An operating shaft 68 is rotatably extended through the squared portion of the axle 58 and has a screw threaded end 70 that is screw threaded into the squared portion of the axle 52. Collars 7 2 and a thrust ball bearing 74 permit free rotation of said shafti said axle 58 while preventing axial displacement of said shaft 68. Collars 7 6 are adjustably located on the end portion of said shaft 68 on opposite sides of the axle 52 to limit the movement of said axle on said shaft between positions corresponding to full raised and lowered positions of the interrupter.

The interrupter is raised and lowered by rotating said shaft 68. It will be apparent that when the shaft 68 is rotated in one direction, the lower ends of the bars 44 and 46 will be drawn toward each other, thus to raise the interrupter. When the shaft 68 is rotated in the opposite direction, the lower ends of said bars will be moved apart, thus to lower the interrupter. When the interrupter is in the full lowered position, wherein the raising and lowering mechanism will assume some such position as is shown in Fig. 5, the terminals of the interrupter will be clear of the line terminals and the interrupter can be withdrawn from the enclosing cell and will roll upon the wheels 54 and 60 during such movement. This form of raising and lowering means is compact and cocupies, when collapsed, but a small vertical height.

The switch and the raising and lowering means are a single unit, and the switch is maintained in a normal operating position by the means which raises and lowers it into and out of such position and provides the wheeled support on which it can be moved about, thus dispensing with the heretofore usual separate raising means.

Also in accordance with this invention, means are provided to lock the raising and lowering mechanism against operation except when the interrupter is in open position. To this end, one of the side flanges 40 of the channel member .38 is provided with a channel member 7 8 having a horizontal passage therethrough. A locking member 80 of angle shape is slidable within the passage of said channel member and is pivotally connected with the pin 64 carried by the upper ends of the bars 46, which pin is extended through and is movable in a longitudinal slot 82 of the flange 40 in said channel member 38. A vertical locking bar 84 is slidably extended. through an opening 86 in said channel member 78 and is adapted when in locking relation with said locking member 80 to enter an opening 88 in said locking member. Said locking bar 84 is pivoted at its upper end to a plate 90 that is pivoted at 92 to an outer face of the switch frame 26 over the operating shaft 36. A link 94 is pivotally connected with said plate 90 and extends slidably through an opening 98 in the cell cover 14 into a position wherein it may be operated manually. Said link has a notch 100 therein which overlies the edge of said cover 14 at said opening 98 whereby to hold the locking bar 84 releasably in elevated or unlocked position. Said plate 90 is provided with a lower arcuate face 102. Said shaft 36 is provided with an upstanding arm 104 which is movable under and in cooperative relation with said arcuate face and when in such position, serves to prevent the plate 90 from being moved in a counterclockwise direction to release the locking bar 84 from looking engagement with the locking member 80. V11 en the switch is entirely open, however, said arm 104 will be in some position as indicated by the dotted line Fig. 1, and thus will permit the plate 96 to move and release the locking member. The locking bar 84 can be held locked, the arm 104 will engage the forward end of the plate 90 and the switch mechanism will thus be prevented from closing until the locking bar is in locking position. The aperture in the locking member is adapted to be in alignment with the locking bar 84 only when the interrupter is in fully raised position and in intermediate positions the end of the bar 84 will engage the top face of said locking member and thus be prevented from moving downwardly. The plate will thus be held in position to prevent the closing of theswitchuntil the interrupter is in fully elevated position.

The locking bar 84 is also arranged to be disposed in front of the locking member 80 when the raising and lowering means is in full lowered position whereby to prevent the raising of the interrupter if the interrupter should be closed.

I claim:

1. The combination of a circuit interrupter and its enclosing casing, raising and lowering means for the interrupter comprising sets of crossed bars of which one set has a pivotal connection and the other set a movable connection with the bottom of said. casing, interrupter supporting wheels carried by said bars, and means to move said bars toward and away from each other.

2. The combination of an interrupter having a casing, sets of pivotally connected crossed bars located under the bottom of sait casing, one set of bars having means pivotal ly connecting their upper ends with the bottom of said casing, the upper ends of the other set of bars having a movable en agement with said casing, means connecting the bottom ends of said bars also constituting means to move said bottom ends toward and away from each other, and supporting wheels carried by said bottom ends.

3. The combination of an interrupter and its enclosing casing, sets of pivotally connected crossed bars located under said casing, the upper ends of one set of bars having a pivotal connection with the bottom of said casing at one end thereof, the upper ends of the other set of bars having a rolling engage ment with the bottom of said casing at the other end thereof, and an operating shaft connecting the lower ends of said sets of bars having a screw-threaded connection with one set of bars by which to move the lower ends toward and away from each other, and wheels carried by the lower ends of said bars.

4. A circuit interrupter having an enclosing casing comprising an oil receptacle, a switch frame comprising a cover for the oil receptacle, a platform on which said oil re-- ceptacle is mounted, tie-bolts connecting said platform and switch frame together, sets of pivotally connected crossed bar-s disposed under said platform, the upper ends of one set of bars having a pivotal connection with said platform, the upper ends of the other set of bars having a rolling engagement with said platform, axles loosely connected with the lower ends of both sets of bars, supporting wheels journalled on said axles, and a raising and lowering shaft connecting said axles having means to move them toward and away from each other and also to hold them in any position in which they may be moved.

5. The combination of a circuit interrupter and its enclosing casing, a platform on which said casing is supported having depending side flanges, sets of crossed bars disposed beneath said platform between the side flanges thereof, the upper ends of one set of bars having a pivotal connection with said side flanges, the upper ends of the other set of bars having a roller which bears against said platform, an axle extended between and loosely connected with the lower ends of one set of bars, wheels journalled on said axle between said bars, an axle extended between and loosely connected with the lower ends of the other set of bars, wheels journalled on said latter axle on the outside of said latter bars, and an operating shaft extended between said axles having a connection therewith arranged to move said axles toward and away from each other and also to hold them in any set position.

6. The combination of a circuit interrupter having an operating shaft, raising and lowering means for the interrupter, and locking mechanism governing the operation of said raising and lowering means comprising a locking member movable into and out of looking relation with a movable part of said raising an: lowering means, a pivoted member located beside said shaft and connected with said locking member, means to move said pivoted member in opposite directions to lock and unlock said raising and lowering means, and a member carried by said shaft movable into and out of holding relation with said pivoted member.

7. In a circuit interrupter, raising and lowering means therefor including sets of crossed bars which carry said interrupter and have wheels at their lower ends on which said bars and the interrupter re movably supported, means to move said bars toward and away from each other to raise and lower the interrupter, and locking mechanism for said raising and lowering mechanism including a lasting member movable into and out of holding engagement with one set of bars to hold said mechanism from operation.

8. In a circuit interrupter, raising and lowering means therefor, including sets of crossed bars which carry said interrupter and have'wheels at their lower ends on which said bars and the interrupter are movably supported, means to move said bars toward and away from each other to raise and lower the interrupter, and locking mechanism for said raising and lowering mechanism including a locking member movable into and out of holding engagement with one set of bars to hold said mechanism from operation, and means controlled by the operative condition of said interrupter having control of said locking mechanism.

9. In a circuit interrupter, a platform on which said interrupter is carried, sets of crossed bars disposed beneath said platform, the upper ends of one set of bars having a pivotal connection with said platform, the upper ends of the other set of bars having a rolling engagement with said platform, a locking member carried by the upper ends of said latter set of bars and movable therewith, means to move said sets of bars toward and away from each other to raise and lower the interrupter, and a locking bolt movable into and out of engagement with said locking member.

10. In a circuit interrupter, the combination of a supporting platform on which the interrupter is mounted, said platform having depending side flanges, raising and lowering mechanism comprising sets of crossed bars located beneath said platform, the upper ends of one set of bars having apivotal connection with said platform, the upper ends of said other set of bars having a rolling engagement with said platform, a member connected with and extended laterally from the upper ends of said latter set of bars, a looking member loosely connected with said extended member and disposed beside one of said platform flanges, said flange having a compartment in which said locking member is slidable, and a locking bolt movable into and out of said compartment and in locking engagement with said locking member whereby to hold said raising and lowering mechanism from operation.

11. In a circuit interrupter having operating mechanism therefor, raising and loW- ering means for the interrupter, and locking means for said raising and lowering means including a reciprocable locking member movable in response to movements of said raising and lowering means, and a locking bar adapted to be moved into locking engagement therewith, said locking bar having an interconnection with said interrupter operating mechanism by which the raising and lowering means can be operated only when the interrupter is open and also by which the interrupter can be closed only when the interrupter is in full-raised or full lowered position.

12. The combination of fixed line terminals, a support located beneath said terminals, a circuit interrupter movable horizontally on said support into and out of operative position beneath said terminals, said interrupter having a casing provided with upstanding interrupter terminals that are adapted to cooperate with said line terminals and also having wheels beneath the bottom thereof on which said interrupter is movable horizontally on said support, and raising and lowering means for said interrupter interposed between said casing and said wheels arranged to move said interrupter vertically above said support to effect engagement and disengagement of said interrupter and line terminals, said raising and lowering means also constituting the means which supports the interrupter in service with said terminals in engagement, said raising and lowering means also including means to move said wheels toward and away from each other on said support during raising and lowering movements of said interrupter.

13. The combination of a portable circuit interrupter adapted to be moved into and out of a cell and when within the cell to be moved vertically into and out of a circuit controlling position therein, raising and lowering means for said interrupter constituting an integral part of said interrupter, operating mechanism for the interrupter and means governed by the closed position of the interrupter to lock said raising and lowering means from operation both when the interrupter is within and without the cell including a manually operable pivoted member which is locked by said operating mechanism against movement in the switch closed position thereof, and a locking member having an operative connection with said pivoted member and which engages a movable part of and locks said raising and lowering means in the locked position of said pivoted member.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

MORRIS B. WOOD. 

